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Denver jumps to Summit League, leaving behind unstable WAC

The administration at the University of Denver believed it was imperative to leave the troubled Western Athletic Conference and find a more stable home for its athletic program.

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, DU vice chancellor for athletics Peg Bradley-Doppes said the search for league stability led to the Summit League, a conference for nine schools scattered through Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Michigan, Illinois, South Dakota and Nebraska.

"This isn't a guess," Bradley-Doppes said. "We're at peace with the decision because we worked the numbers. It was an emotional decision, but at this time, we're in the right place. We couldn't depend on the stability of the conference we left."

At the same time, WAC commissioner Jeff Hurd was in Phoenix to welcome Grand Canyon University into his conference. The WAC announced earlier that it was going forward as a nonfootball conference and now is fighting for survival with six teams for the 2013-14 year.

Hurd said he hopes to have two more members before the next basketball season.

"DU was upfront about this," Hurd said in agreeing with Bradley-Doppes that the move wasn't made in the dark of night. "I'd prefer that DU still was a member of our conference."

Discussions between DU and the Summit League began in August. Bradley-Doppes said there were discussions with other conferences, but none continued after the Summit League became the serious contender.

Summit League commissioner Tom Douple said there was a unanimous vote of league members to invite DU.

Eleven of DU's 19 teams will compete in the Summit League, including the both basketball and soccer teams. Hockey, gymnastics, men's and women's lacrosse and men's and women's skiing will continue in their respective conferences. Irv Moss, The Denver Post